Bam Aquino calls for NFA chief’s resignation amid Zambo rice crisis

Senator Bam Aquino on Thursday pressed for the resignation of National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator Jason Aquino over the agency’s failure to lower the prices of rice in the market and curb the rice shortage in Zamboanga City.

“Mahiya naman sila (NFA) sa taumbayan at mag-resign na. Dahil sa kanilang kapalpakan, nalulunod ang mga pamilyang Pilipino sa taas ng presyo ng bigas,” the senator said in a statement.

Senator Bam questioned the government’s failure to lower the prices of the staple food despite its promise to solve the problem through rice importation.

“Sino na ba ang nagmamando sa bansa? Itong malaking krisis sa bigas, hindi man lang masolusyunan. Nag-import sila para maresolba ang problema pero mukhang lumala pa ngayon ang sitwasyon at nauwi sa rice crisis sa Zamboanga City,” he said.

A rice shortage prompted the local council of Zamboanga City on Monday to declare a state of calamity, enabling the local government to control rice prices as supplies began dwindling last week, according to Zamboanga City Mayor Maria Isabelle Salazar.

READ: Zamboanga City under state of calamity due to rice shortage

Earlier, the government approved the importation of 500,000 metric tons of rice to address the lack of supply of affordable NFA rice in the market.

“Saan napunta ang ipinagmamalaking inangkat ng National Food Authority (NFA) para mapababa ang presyo ng bigas sa mga palengke?” the opposition senator asked.

He further expressed fear that the imported NFA rice could land in the hands of traders who will sell it for a higher price, putting more burden on the shoulder of poor Filipinos.

Aquino had earlier urged the NFA administrator to step down due to the agency’s failure to fulfill the 15-day buffer stock policy for almost one year, beginning March 2017.   /vvp